


You Spin Me Round

by toxic_corn



Category: Firefly
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-08
Updated: 2011-07-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 10:32:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9230951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toxic_corn/pseuds/toxic_corn
Summary: All it takes is a simple hoop to resolve a marital dispute.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://sunshineali.livejournal.com/profile)[sunshineali](http://sunshineali.livejournal.com/)'s prompt "Hula Hoop"

Ever since the epic shouting match of the night before, things on board Serenity had been a mite tense. The crew had heard every word of the bitter exchange between the recently married River and Jayne, despite various efforts to block the sound or pretend it wasn't happening.

 

 

_"It's none of your concern what I do with my free time!"_

__

 

__

 

_"It does if I find little bits of paper in my gorram bed that stick all over the damn place! I even got some down my shorts!"_

__

 

__

 

_"You're not even wearing shorts!"_

 

 

Mal had been outside the Cobbs' bunk, ready to tell the loving couple to shut up already but at that little insight from River he'd retreated quickly.

 

 

_"That ain't the point! The point is you're too old to be playin' with paper dolls!"_

 

 

_"If anyone in this bunk is too old it's YOU!"_

 

 

_"What did you just say to me?"_

 

 

_"You have no sense of play and couldn't possibly understand why playing with paper dolls might be a desirable past time."_

 

 

_"Yeah, can't see the appeal. You got clothes of your own, why do you wanna be dressin' up creepy flat people?"_

 

 

_"Because it's fun."_

 

 

_"Oh, well, in that case hand me the scissors. I DON'T ACTUALLY WANT THE SCISSORS, YOU DIZZY GIRL!"_

 

 

_"I'm going to my bunk."_

 

 

_"This is your bunk!"_

 

 

_"Apparently it's not if I can't do what I want in it!"_

 

 

_"I just don't want paper scraps in the bed! I'm not allowed to eat biscuits in bed cuz of the crumbs so you shouldn't leave a mess neither!"_

 

 

_"You should have made that your argument from the beginning instead of opening with personal attacks."_

 

 

_"I..."_

 

 

_"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I cling to childish pursuits because my own childhood came to an abrupt, horrible end?"_

 

 

_"I..."_

 

 

_"Goodnight, Jayne."_

 

 

Silence fell and somehow that was more horrible than all the shouting. They still weren't speaking at breakfast and kept themselves occupied with their separate duties as everyone prepared to land on Kaylee's home world for a visit with the always welcoming and friendly Fryes. The crew was looking forward to seeing some happy faces.

 

 

~*~

 

 

"What's that you got there?" Jayne asked one of Kaylee's cousins. The little boy had messy dark curls and snot crusted on the skin between his nose and mouth. He'd been running around the yard and picnic table where the adults had been eating and talking the last few hours, but he stopped in his tracks when Jayne spoke to him.

 

 

"Hoop." The little boy held the hoop up for Jayne to inspect and Jayne took it, standing up. He cut a glance over at River who was listening but pretending not to.

 

 

"I used to play with one o' these when I was your age. Gimmie the stick." The little boy handed it over, frowning slightly at this adult's lack of the word "please."

 

 

Jayne started to jog around the yard, rolling the hoop along the ground, keeping it upright with the occasional help of the stick. The little boy ran after him, squealing in delight at seeing a master at work. A proud, dopey grin spread across Jayne's face and only faltered when River stepped into his path. He came to an abrupt halt. The hoop rolled onward about a foot and then dropped on it's side at River's feet. She stared at Jayne and he stared back, lifting his chin defiantly, daring her to say something.

 

 

River looked down at the hoop and nudged it with one dirty, bare foot. "That's not how I played with a hoop."

 

 

"Is that right?" Jayne said snidely. "Let's see how you do it." He held out the stick but River dismissed it with one of her snotty looks and bent to retrieve the hoop.

 

 

Then she lifted it over her head, settled it around her waist and started rocking her hips in a sensual circle. Jayne's eyes were riveted to the movement and he didn't notice the little boy bouncing impatiently for his turn to play with the hoop in this new, fun way. River raised her arms cautiously up to her head, gathering her hair up and holding it away from her face. All the better for him to see her hooded eyes and the teasing little smile on her face once he was able to tear his gaze away from the fascinating movement of her hips.

 

 

Finally, she started to slow the rocking and the hoop leisurely twirled down her legs and rested at her feet. River stepped out of it and Jayne snatched the hoop up and shoved it in the kid's direction.

 

 

"Here. Go nuts." Without warning, he scooped River up and tossed her, giggling, over his shoulder and stalked from the yard with purpose.

 

 

"Where are you going?" Simon called after them and Kaylee nudged him.

 

 

"Can't you tell, doctor?" Mal asked, taking a sip from his cup of warm beer. "The honeymoon's back on."

 

 

"Ew," Simon said succinctly.

 

The End


End file.
